Giving an arm and a leg (of turkey)

Despite broken bone two years ago, couple enjoys helping out at Salvation Army

Despite broken bone two years ago, couple enjoys helping out at Salvation Army

April 03, 2007|By Scott Waltman, American News Writer

Even a broken arm hasn't soured Mavis Kirschenmann on volunteering for The Salvation Army. Two years ago, as she was helping serve The Salvation Army's annual Thanksgiving meal, she slipped on a water puddle and fell to the floor. That's how she injured her arm. But the bone is long healed and she was in good spirits Wednesday morning. And that's in spite of rolling out of bed at 4:30 a.m. to put a turkey in the oven for the noon meal. "We set two alarms to be sure we wouldn't miss it," Julius Kirschenmann, Mavis' husband, said with a smile. "You wouldn't want to put the turkey in at 9 or 8:30." Julius and Mavis are longtime volunteers for The Salvation Army. Julius said he was asked to serve as a board member 25 years ago or more and he's been helping out since. It's the right thing to do, he said. The former owner of Aberdeen Motors, he said the community and county treated him well when he was in business. Volunteering gives him a chance to give something back. After the turkey was baked, the Kirschenmanns headed to The Salvation Army, where they were charged with cutting pies and preparing tables a couple of hours before the community meal. 200-plus meals: In all, at least 33 people helped serve Wednesday's Thanksgiving meal, said Tony Jones, who is in charge of volunteers for The Salvation Army. Just more than 200 meals were served, he said. Julius said the Thanksgiving and Christmas meals are always the biggest that The Salvation Army serves. Helping with them is rewarding and enjoyable, he said. "This is true. However, we really don't have a choice," Mavis said, breaking into laughter. The price of being a reliable volunteer is that you become counted on. For the Kirschenmanns, preparing for Wednesday's meal started, in a sense, on Sunday. That's when Mavis said she had to start thawing the 20-plus-pound turkey they cooked. It was too big to put in the refrigerator, so most of the thawing was done in the garage, she said. - early 20 years: Volunteering with The Salvation Army has kept Julius busy during the holiday season for nearly 20 years. He has been especially involved since he retired in 1988. In that time, he's been a reliable bell-ringer, although this year he thinks he'll help count donations instead. In the weeks before the holidays, Jones said volunteers help ring bells for about 613 hours. Without such helpers, he said, The Salvation Army couldn't provide all of the services it does. Last year, volunteers logged about 14,785 hours for The Salvation Army, Jones said. Blessings counted: While some people in the community take time today to give thanks for groups like The Salvation Army and the volunteers that help them, the Kirschenmanns say that they are thankful for, among other things, their health. "I'm thankful that I can move around," Mavis said. "I'm 77 years old, and I can go to exercise class. And that's pretty darn good." Moments later she took a second to figure her husband's age. It's 82. "I didn't want to think you were that old," she said, looking at him. "You're only as old as you feel," he responded. "I'm very thankful that I'm on the giving end, (rather) than receiving," Julius said. "It's much more enjoyable to give than receive."